Chapter 2

That mysterious woman looked at me and asked, "Used to?"

I remained silent for a few seconds. Maybe it was the vulnerability of surviving a near-death experience, or maybe the look in her eyes told me I could trust her, but I laid out everything—what I went through over the last three years and how I got kicked out yesterday.

She remained silent throughout the whole story without cutting in. Once I was done, she finally asked, "You mean Whitney Lund, that A-rank ability user?"

"You know who she is?"

She leaned against the back of the chair, her gaze cold and piercing. "I've heard of her before—the fastest-climbing rookie Northvale Base has seen in years and allegedly quite capable. I guess she really is quite 'capable.'"

I picked up on the sarcasm in her voice and smiled bitterly.

She looked at me and asked, "What do you plan to do now?"

I tried to respond, only to realize that I had no answers. I couldn't possibly have any plans at this moment. I got thrown out of the base with no ability to my name, and I'd only survived in this post-apocalyptic world because she saved my life.

She stared at me for a few seconds before getting up and walking to the door. She had her back to me as she asked flatly, "It seems like both bases don't think much of us either, so why don't we team up and guard this place together?"

I watched her retreating figure, and before I could stop myself, I asked, "You were thrown out of your base, too?"

She paused in her tracks for a moment. She didn't bother turning around as she hummed in assent, which carried more weight than anything else she could have said.

I felt a lump in my throat that stopped me from saying anything. It took a long time before I finally nodded. "Alright."

Her name was Queenie Carr, the leader of this small settlement. She frequently went out to kill zombies, and whenever she returned, she would set aside some time to teach me combat techniques.

I spent my time chopping wood, hauling water, and repairing the walls as days went by, keeping myself busy so that I wouldn't have to think about all the things that upset me.

It was just that those rumors still managed to reach me.

"Have you heard about Maverick Sutherland over at Northvale Base, the one Whitney kicked out?"

"I've heard about him. Isn't he the one who got caught stealing supplies from the base?"

"It's nothing like that. I heard that he was completely worthless and couldn't even take down a zombie."

Queenie returned that evening, her expression colder than usual.

Her subordinate followed her in, looking apprehensive as he held an invitation. "It's from Northvale Base, Queenie."

Queenie took it, looked it over briefly, then tossed it into the fire with a blank expression.

I caught sight of the words printed on it—"Engagement Banquet"—and asked, "Who is it from?"

Upon hearing that, the subordinate glanced at me and then at Queenie, who made no move to stop him. He replied softly, "Whitney Lund broke through to A+ rank and hooked up with the Base Commander's son. They're holding an engagement banquet in a couple of days."

I stood there stunned. I fixed my gaze on the fire, watching the invitation gradually burn to ashes.

Queenie spoke up. "Say whatever's on your mind."

I shook my head and went back to sweeping the floor. I had nothing to say since I had chosen that life for myself for three years.

Six months later, late one night, a piercing alarm snapped me awake. Then came rushing footsteps, panicked shouts, and the snarls of zombies.

I jumped out of bed, grabbed the machete leaning by the door, and bolted outside. A massive shadow loomed ahead outside the settlement's wall. It was double the size of an ordinary zombie, dripping with corrosive slime. It was a high-level zombie.

Queenie stood atop the wall, silver-blue energy swirling in her hand. She looked back over her shoulder and snapped, "Get back!"

I stood still as the zombie suddenly accelerated and rammed into the wall.

Queenie leaped off the wall, her ability forming into a blade of light as she slashed at the zombie, though the latter moved too quickly and dodged, then raked its claws across her.

Blood splattered all over, and Queenie clutched her abdomen and staggered backward before collapsing on the ground.

I was instantly dumbstruck, while the zombie turned around, its rotten eye sockets locking right onto me. It opened its mouth and lunged toward me.

I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. I only had one thought in my mind at that moment.

Queenie was dead.

I felt something deep within me shattering, and a wave of heat rose from my heart and quickly spread through my whole body.